Reassurance
by DreamsInColor8
Summary: Steph finally decides to admit her feelings. Will he feel the same way? Well Steph is about to find out. All she wants is a little reassurance but what kind is she looking for? Characters are pretty OOC.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. =( _

**Reassurance **

We all need a little reassurance sometimes. I'd get it from him most of all. The way he'd utter those four words. "Proud of you Babe." The way he smiled at me. He made me feel good. I was hoping for more reassurance. Would I get some? Well I was about to see. People thought he loved me. Sometimes I thought he loved me. I loved him so much. I just hoped my heart wouldn't shatter. He didn't tell me what to do. He didn't yell. He liked me for me. He didn't want to change me. I had the death grip on my steering wheel as I headed over to Haywood. Would he laugh in my face? Or would he give me the 'my loves comes with a condom not a ring' speech? I loved him. I didn't need a ring.

I wasn't ready to get married again although if he asked I knew I would say yes. I wasn't too happy about the thought of babies but the thought that he wanted babies with me had me ready for them. Would he want to? I might be able to deal with no ring for a little while as long as it wasn't forever. I wanted him forever and forever to me meant a ring. I don't need a picket fence or even a a chain link fence. Hell I don't even need any kind of fence. I was in front of Haywood I waved to the guys and they opened the gate. I smiled weekly. I parked my car besides the seemingly endless line of black cars. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. It was now or never. I took a deep breath. I just wanted to make sure he was there. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed five's number.

"Steph?" I heard Bobby's voice asked.

"Yeah. Is Ranger in the building?" I asked. I held my breath waiting for the answer.

"On seven," was his curt reply.

"Okay. Thanks Bobby. Bye," I then clicked the end button. I took another deep breath and got out of the car. I went to the elevator and pushed for seven. I went up. I knew the guys were watching me. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the seventh floor. I took another breath and went to the door. I knocked. The door opened and Ranger stood there. The corners of his mouth tipped up. I had a feeling they wouldn't be tipping up once I said my piece. Or maybe they would and he did love me. He opened the door and moved out of the way. I walked in and started pacing.

"Babe?" he asked and I heard a hint of concern in his voice.

"Ranger…um Carlos…I have something to tell you. Please don't talk until I finish," I said. I stopped pacing and looked at him. I could tell he was confused. He nodded.

"Carlos, I love you. I know you said you're life doesn't lend itself to relationships and that your love comes with a condom not a ring. Morelli and I will never be right for each other. We realized that. He wanted a 'burg wife to cook, clean, and have kids. Be the stay at home mom and be boring and safe. I don't want that. I don't even know if I want kids. I know if you want kids I want kids or if you want to get married I want to get married. I didn't stay a bounty hunter for the money. I stayed because I was free I didn't have to work from nine to five and wear panty hose. I stayed because I could fly. You helped me fly. I love you and I want what you want. I know you'll let me be who I am and not change me. I'm here because I want to know how you feel," I said not looking a Ranger but back to pacing. I was wondering what was going through his mind right then. I didn't want to look up afraid of what I might see.

"Babe," was all he said. It held a lot of emotion. I had to look up. But his face was devoid of emotion.

"Well?" I asked expectantly.

"I can't. I love you Stephanie but I don't want to get hurt. Again. You hurt me a lot. I sent you back to the cop so you couldn't do it again. I can't help but feel it will happen again soon," he said looking at me. I felt my heart break. I guess this was how it felt every time I went back to Morelli. I nodded swallowing the lump in my throat. I had come here for reassurance. I guess I had gotten it in a way.

"Okay. I understand," I said trying to keep my voice from cracking. I started for the door. Maybe he would come after me. Or maybe I'd just be alone forever? I walked down the hall to the elevator. I hoped I wouldn't get stopped on five. Of course I did. It wasn't what I expected though because the RangeMan men were standing there clapping.

"Proud of you," they all said. I started crying.

"Finally some one told their true feelings," I heard Lester mutter and I grinned.

"Who's next in line for her?" I heard another voice asked. I laughed. I was too happy to be mad. They were reassuring me.

"That ass. Want me to kick him? I mean I would suggest I kick his ass but he is one," I heard another guy say. I smiled they were all my friends and they all loved me. They cared for me. They were reassurance of how much I was loved.

"He's stupid. Who wouldn't want to be with you?" another of the men piped up.

"Maybe we should all knock some sense into him?" Tank suggested with a grin. I grinned. I loved these guys.

"Thanks for all the offers guys that means a lot. That alone is enough," I said with a smile, "I love all of you." I didn't need Ranger all I needed was a friend. I didn't need Morelli. Maybe Ranger would figure out after a while I wasn't going anywhere with Morelli or anyone else. Then he would finally come to me. I could only hope. So I stepped onto five were Ella made food and we all laughed and talked leaving Batman upstairs.

A/N: I hoped you liked the story. Sorry about any mistakes I take full responsibility because I edited it myself. And I wrote it really late. I wrote it for a friend. =) Thanks for reading please review.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. _

_Three Months Later_

It had been three months since I told Ranger how I felt about him. I haven't gone back to Joe and Ranger hasn't come to me. Joe was pissed about the break up and he called constantly telling me the boys missed him. I never went though. The RangeMan Christmas party was soon and I had this kick ass slinky red dress. I was hoping Ranger would come to me then. He was currently in the wind as we worked on the party. It was going to be in the lodge of the Elks Club.

I hoped Ranger would be back in time for Christmas. I got him a little something. It was a shiny stainless steel dog tags with black silencers. The first line says You have my heart and the second said from Stephanie P since I couldn't fit both my first and last name on it. The third line had my blood type. The fourth line said Allergy 'burg. The last line said to Carlos Manoso. I figured he would be able to wear it and since he wasn't the jewelry type this would be good. I ordered it online. I went to the bonds office and sat on the couch talking to Lula.

"White girl when's yo batman gettin' back?" Lula asked eating a bucket of fried chicken.

"I don't know. Who said he's my batman?" I asked looking over at Connie.

"Come on Steph everyone knows you two got something going on," Connie told me. I rolled my eyes.

"There is nothing going on." Well at least not lately. He seemed to be avoiding me when he wasn't on a mission. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck and I turned around to see Ranger standing there. He walked up to Connie and handed her a body receipt.

"Babe," he said after he finished. I nodded.

"Ranger," I said trying to keep it together. I didn't need to break down in front of him.

"Will I see you at the Christmas party?" he asked me. I think my heart was going double time.

"Yeah. I have a gift for you. I'll give it to you then," I told him with a smile. The corners of his mouth tipped up.

"I'll see you there then," he said and then he was out the door. I let out a whoosh.

"Yo sure nothin' goin' on between you and the batman?" Lula asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Yep. I think I would know." I think I would know since I'm not getting any and I've been eating lots of sugar.

_Two days later the Christmas party._

I was putting on the last coat of mascara. I had gone more natural tonight since I knew Ranger likes it like that. I put on the red dress. It hugs all my curves perfectly. I was able to wear the wonder bra so I had more cleavage. I put on matching FMP's. Grabbed my clutch bag and put anything in I thought I would need. I put them in my bag and then took one last look in the mirror. I looked good if I did say so myself. I grabbed Ranger's present off the counter and I went downstairs. Lula was picking me up. I heard her long before I saw her. She pulled to a stop in front of me and I hopped in.

"Damn girl you lookin' fine!" she exclaimed with a grin as she started driving to the lodge.

"Thanks. You look good too," I commented. Her hair was a bright red and she was wearing a black dress. We got to the lodge and the parking lot was filled but there were empty spaces. We walked in and all eyes were on us. I blushed and kept walking. Lula seemed oblivious. She was looking to rekindle her love with Tank. She had even gotten the medicine so she could live with the cats. I scanned the crowd and saw lots of people. Not everyone was from RangeMan. I saw some cops. I then saw Joe. Mary Lou and Lenny were talking to Lester and Bobby. Mary Lou caught my eye.

"Steph!" she exclaimed wrapping me in a hug, "don't you look good." I smiled.

"Thanks Lou. So do you. I bet Lenny just about had a stroke when he saw you in that," I said chuckling. She was wearing a short coral colored v-neck halter dress. She laughed and nodded. I felt the familiar tingling and I looked back and saw Ranger standing in the door as he scanned the room. Lester sauntered over from Lenny and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Hello Beautiful. Love the dress," he said with a grin. I smiled.

"I thought it looked Christmas-y," I said with a grin. He chuckled.

"Are you sure? Maybe the color but the dress just screams naughty," Lester said. I punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Ow. What was that for?" I rolled my eyes and turned around and saw Ranger coming forward. Lester went off to talk to someone else.

"Hey Babe."

"Ranger. I have your present," I told him handing him the black box. He smiled and handed me a different black box.

"Thanks Babe," he said before opening it.

"You're welcome. Thanks for the present," I replied opening the lid. Inside was a silver bracelet with diamonds or diamond looking things scattered in it. I smiled. He grinned and helped me put it on.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Cupcake are you sleeping with all of his thugs?" a very drunk Joe asked. I turned around as he tried to grab me.

"No Joe. And they're not thugs," I told him with narrowed eyes.

"Come on Cupcake it's been three months come back to me. The boys missed you," Joe whined coming closer. I backed away.

"Three months?" Ranger asked looking at me. I nodded.

"Yeah, she left me to be with you," Joe spat out. Ranger looked at me with his blank mask in place.

"Joe we're not right together. You want 'burg. I'm not 'burg at all. I can't cook, and I want to fly," I told him again.

"So. You can learn and become a stay at home mom," he told me taking a step closer and trying to pull me to him. I jerked my knee up and caught him in the nuts. He fell to the ground.

"Stay away from me Joe. I love you and want to be friends but I'm not in love with you," I told him before walking away. By that time all eyes were on us. None of the cops said anything. It was a clear case of self defense. I walked outside and remembered I rode with Lula. Ranger followed me.

"You've really been broken up for three months?" he asked. I nodded.

"I have another present for you," he admitted. I turned to him and he handed me a box. I opened it to find Amazon looking bracelets. Like the ones Wonder Woman has. I looked up at him and smiled.

"This is the best present ever. Of course I like the other gift as well," I told him before wrapping him in a hug, "open yours now." He did as told and found the dog tags. He lifted one out and read it out loud.

"You have my heart from Stephanie Plum. AB positive. Allergy 'burg. To Carlos Manoso," he read and I heard his voice crack. He looked up at me. I smiled. Then he brought me into a toe curling kiss. It felt like fire spreading from my lips to all parts of my body.

"I love you Carlos." I heard him growl and suddenly we were in his car.

"I love you too Steph," he told me with a smile. We spent the next few days in bed.

A/N: Hope you liked this two-shot! =) Thanks for reading. Please review.


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